Underrated. That is usually the word that describes better the work of Jamaal Charles.
He was an outstanding player for the Kansas City Chiefs, being as of now the best RB of the franchise. But is he good enough to enter the Hall of Fame?
He was a comet. One of the best for a couple of years. Many observers may compare longevity with a peak performance. Has he been enough solid for more of a few years to deserve a spot on the Hall of Fame?
Chiefs fans have a soft spot for Jamaal Charles though. His personality, his efficiency, and his willingness has shown that success is achievable with hard work.
He probably won’t make the Pro Football Hall of Fame. With time, his career might even be described as “very good, not great.”
Charles doesn’t quite have the career stats to compete with the greatest running backs in NFL history. The beloved Kansas City Chiefs RB rushed for 7,563 yards and 44 touchdowns in his career. This places him at No. 56 all-time in terms of rushing yards and No. 97 in rushing touchdowns. But is it enough for greatness?
Or is it just bad luck? Could he be a much more memorable player under the direction of Patrick Mahomes for example?
It is true that a great player can make miracles and Jamaal Charles did for a couple of years, and mostly in 2012, one of the worst year for the Chiefs. However, if the team does not follow as a whole, it is almost impossible to reach a Super Bowl or even a championship. Hence you become less “great” at your position.
Jamaal was special and he remained a legend in KC where he chose to retire last year. He was a track star, but he wasn’t purely a speed running back. He was elusive and very efficient with the ball.
He has recently been selected in PFF’s All-Decade Top-101 along Ex-Chiefs Eric Berry, Jamaal Charles, Tamba Hali at number 86.
“One of the fastest running backs to play the game, Jamaal Charles had track speed that would break angles and statistics because of how difficult he was to hit, let alone tackle. Though the decade caught only the last few seasons of his career, the sample size for running backs is lower than it is for most positions. And even in those seasons, Charles averaged 5.3 yards per carry, 2.5 of which came after contact. He forced 157 missed tackles on 1,151 carries and generated a first down or touchdown on 26% of his carries.” Said Monson of the PFF.
A lot of chatter has been going on lately, mainly on Twitter, showing great rushes made by Jamaal Charles. Could a good buzz influence the high authorities of the NFL to include him in the Hall of Fame? Story to be continued…
